Some recent observations on this subject.
Tesco Harlow (Chill 1). Instruction leaflet readily available. Off to the canteen (or smoke room), and either leave a mobile number or they will call you on the tannoy.
Facilities. Reasonable. Chairs with upholstered seats. Basic but functional. Not exactly a ‘restful’ experience, but neither is it uncomfortable.
On the other hand,
Tesco Middleton. I’m sorry to say that the situation there gives credit to the premise that ‘a Northerner is an Irishman with their brains kicked out’ 
Taped up at the window are the ‘Site Rules’, possibly somewhere in the region of a thousand words on a page double the size of an A4 sheet. About three-quarters of the way through it there is mention that drivers may not remain in cabs. However, there is no mention of, from what I saw, what drivers should do.
They appear not to have developed a method whereby a driver is notified that his vehicle has been ‘tipped’. Consequently, this results in a situation whereby drivers, either singularly or in groups, are meandering between the smoking huts, the drinks machines, the vicinity of their vehicles, and so on.
Inside the building is a notice to their own staff that anyone wishing to move between Chill 1 and Chill 2, should use an internal route and not go via the yard. I interpret this as being an acknowledgement that the ‘Yard’ is a hostile environment with regard to safety.
The following appears on the HSE website.
A logistics group was fined £180,000 for failing to safely manage the transport system at one of its depots, when a reversing vehicle killed an employee.
The company was fined £60,000 for each of the three offences:
· failure to provide and maintain a safe system of work;
· failure to plan, monitor or review safety control procedures;
· failure to provide suitable and sufficient traffic routes at its site and yard.
It was also ordered to pay £19,634.40 costs.
The pedestrian shunter died of multiple injuries after a reversing tractor unit at the depot struck him from behind. Neither the driver of the vehicle nor the deceased was aware of the others movements until it was too late. The tractor did not have a reversing beeper and its hazard lights were not on.
Other factors included the lack of an enforcement system to stop tractors reversing across the pedestrian walkway; absence of a banksman (signaller); inadequate lighting of the yard; inadequate risk assessment of the vehicles movement; lack of an enforced policy to wear high-visibility vests; inadequate training in health and safety matters.
Immediately, I can see what are perhaps two breaches of Health & Safety Legislation, namely,
Failure to provide and maintain a safe system of work;
Failure to plan, monitor or review safety control procedures.
on the basis that there is no ‘system’ of informing a driver of when his load has been discharged other than for him to keep returning to the vehicle to view the bay lights.
If I then quote from the HSE publication, INDG148, Reversing Vehicles, which states,
exclude people from the area in which vehicles are permitted to reverse:
where the need to reverse is unavoidable, try to specify and clearly mark areas
where reversing is permitted. Ensure that your system of work prevents
people from unnecessarily entering these danger areas. Try to design and
construct the areas so that demarcation lines can be seen by drivers and
pedestrians who may need to enter. Consider creating ‘vehicle only areas’ and
preventing workers and visiting drivers from entering this zone by using
barriers with warning signs. When high visibility clothing is worn by people
near reversing vehicles it will considerably improve their safety.
Clearly, the procedures in place at this RDC do not exclude people from the area. In fact, quite the contrary. The best way to exclude drivers, is to leave them in their cabs. Failing that, devise a system, such as has been accomplished at Harlow, where the driver is removed to a ‘sterile’ location.
Whilst I have little knowledge of the background to these recent changes, what little I do know suggests that the instruction has been ‘handed down from upon high’ from someone at Tesco. Now, as far as I know, Tesco is not a haulier. Their operations are run by ‘Logistics’ companies. Primarily, Exel and Wincanton whom, I suspect are also none too happy at these changes. Rikki has made reference to an incident at Welham Green, which, if my sources are correct, was an Eastern European driver, who, awakening from slumber, looked in the ‘wrong’ mirror, and saw a green light. Additionally, here on TNUK, we have had one of our own contributors relate an incident at Middlewich.
Patently, little thought has been given (by Tesco) as to how these changes in operating procedure can be implemented within existing working environments. Perhaps the person responsible is a new appointee, out to make a name for themselves? The name that springs to my mind is a term immortalised by Jasper Carrot.
This has been posted on onlinetruckers Have a look or copy onto here and get on there and lets prove our case.
This could have potential to change things for the better
), and even more shocking as it’s Tesco we’re talking about. Would happy go there again to tip.